Bags such as handbags are commonly carried by women and sometimes by men. A large number and variety of items are commonly stored in handbags including brushes, combs, address books, cosmetics, keys, pagers, safety devices (e.g., whistles, antipersonnel spray) cellular phones, notes, wallets, checkbooks, small pieces of paper, coinage, etc. Other items, while not commonly stored in handbags, may be put there temporarily for safe keeping, such as jewelry, watches, cosmetics, etc. Sorting through these things to find a particular item can be time consuming, and cumbersome, especially if the item is small like a coin or coins, a finger ring, a key or small set of keys, earrings, a lipstick dispenser, etc. Failure to efficiently locate the required item causes frustration, inconvenience, loss of time and may even be dangerous in some situations (for example, if the missing item is a house or car key).
The large number of existing utility patents for systems that organize personal items and accessories in handbags, improve accessibility to such items, facilitate sorting among items within handbags, and make it easier to find these items suggests that many inventors have perceived a need for improvements in this area and that a substantial market may exist for new and better ideas. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,192,365, 5,749,447, 5,829,502, and 6,283,183 are but a few examples of handbag designs that provide multiple internal storage compartments, containers, and retainers for particular items. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,491,074, 6,561,240, and 6,394,157 are examples of organizing inserts with multiple compartments, segregated storage spaces, and various retaining devices that can be removed from a handbag if desired. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,637,485 and 4,022,261 are examples of handbags with transparent walls or compartments that facilitate identifying and locating handbag items. U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,572 is an example of a device that illuminates the interior of a handbag to help find items in the handbag. Also, there are many examples of coin purses and pouches (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,782,280 and 4,907,694) that facilitate locating and sorting coinage.
Although many existing handbag patents have merit and some have enjoyed commercial success, they have certain disadvantages that the proposed invention seeks to overcome. Designs that organize handbag contents by providing numerous individual storage compartments require that the handbag user know which item is in which compartment and that items are returned to their proper compartment after use. This type of knowledge and careful behavior must be exhibited even under stressful conditions, such as when the user is rushed or trying to accomplish multiple tasks simultaneously (e.g., tending to a crying infant while removing or inserting items in a handbag). It may also be necessary to locate the proper compartment for an item under low light conditions (e.g., in a theater) when only the sense of feel can be used. Another disadvantage of most existing designs is that they constrain the appearance of the handbag or purse because certain conformations are needed to make the organizer features of the handbag workable. These constraints may be in conflict with the desire of the handbag user to appear fashionable or to carry a handbag that matches a particular outfit or article of clothing.
A remaining disadvantage of most existing designs for organizer handbags is that efficient use of these designs requires or is at least facilitated by the sense of vision. Therefore, individuals with impaired vision may not find these designs useful.
The invention proposed in this patent application seeks to address the problem of organizing and sorting the items in a handbag, purse, or any other type of bag for carrying personal items and accessories by providing a design that automatically sorts smaller items from larger items, provides readily identifiable compartments that can be quickly located by touch, and is adaptable to a wide variety of shapes, styles, and designs.